Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't own anything. I make no money. I cannot be held responsible if people want to pay me for my brilliant writing. Rest assured that I would not accept the money. I also cannot be held responsible if the story changes the way you think of Harry Potter, Harry's life, or life in general.

Chapter 10

Harry spent the rest of the summer practicing and reading. He was almost through with all of the third year material (History took a very long time, considering he would start thinking of other things while he was reading, and not retain anything), and was spending considerable time reading everything he had bought on animagi. It was a seriously complex piece of magic and would probably take a couple of years to master.

He had been corresponding with Hermione, telling her everything that had happened with Dobby, and what he had felt from Malfoy Senior at the book shop. He almost wished he hadn't though when she started worrying in all her letters.

The Weasleys, however, had other plans than allowing Harry to spend the summer by himself learning. He was invited to a Quidditch game almost every day. After they saw just how good he was on a broom, they would flip a coin to decide who should get him on their team.

He was really looking forward to returning to Hogwarts, but also dreaded it. Lockheart had, apparently, announced that he would be the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher this year. Harry was sure he would end up putting the git into the hospital.

Finally, September first arrived. The Weasleys were not organized in the slightest, and the train was actually starting to move when Harry jumped onboard. Immediately, Harry went to look for Hermione. When he found her compartment, he cast a strong Notice-Me-Not on it while trying to make it specifically for Ron. He figured he succeeded when Ron passed right by, but his sister, Ginny, entered and sat quietly in the corner, blushing and sending glances at Harry every now and then. Hermione thought that was incredibly funny. Harry acted like he didn't notice.

It was then that Harry noticed that there was another girl in the compartment. She had dirty blond hair and big, blueish-grey eyes. He probably wouldn't have noticed her (she was sitting on the other side of Hermione from him and he couldn't see her), but she took this opportunity to state the obvious. "You're Harry Potter."

Harry put on a confused face and looked down at himself. "What do you know? I am. I'm afraid, though, I don't know who you are."

Surprisingly, it was Ginny that answered. "That's Luna Lovegood. She lives on the other side of the village from us." And she blushed and looked out the window.

"Ah, hello Luna. Are you going to be a first year, too?" asked Harry. He thought the girl was a little odd, but odd usually translates into interesting. Interesting is good.
"Yes. I am going to be in Ravenclaw." She stated it as though it were fact.

"Is that right? I thought I might be going to Ravenclaw at first, though I really had no idea which one I wanted. The hat considered putting me in Slytherin, but Draco Malfoy had already been put there, so I refused."

The three of them talked amongst themselves for a few hours, with occasional input from a meek Ginny. Hermione didn't seem to like Luna very much. It probably had a lot to do with Luna's firm conviction in the truth of everything printed in her father's magazine, The Quibbler. Harry decided that he didn't want to set her straight, even though she informed him that the reason he survived the Killing Curse as a baby was because he was already dead and just exists as a really solid ghost that apparently ages. He rather liked that theory.

Just then, Draco and his goons barged into the compartment. "Why if it isn't Harry Potty. I hear you got in trouble for using magic over the summer."

"Harry Potty? What are you, four?" Draco's smirk fell instantly into an ugly frown. Still he forced himself to calm down as he replied.

"So, plan on killing this year's Defense professor?"

"Well, I don't plan on it, but considering the professor, I may be tempted." At this, Hermione gasped and glared at Harry.

Draco laughed. "Uh-oh. Looks like you upset the mudblood." At hearing the foul slur on Hermione, Harry slashed his wand at Draco. After a second of pause, all his hair fell off, with the exception of some really short hair on the back that spelled "Ponce." He looked like he was about to cry when Harry pushed him out of the compartment and locked the door.

"Harry! How can you say that about professor Lockheart? Look at all the stuff he's done in his books! He's a hero!"

As it was darkening, the four of them decided to put on their robes. As Harry was pulling it on over his muggle clothes, Luna asked, "Harry, why are you wearing a bracelet?"

Looking down, Harry noticed that he was still wearing his restricter. "Hmm, I didn't realize I was still wearing it. Oh well, I'll take it off at the next convenient opportunity." Luna did not question why this was not a convenient opportunity.

Finally, they arrived at Hogwarts. When they got out of the train, there were hundreds of carts ready to take them to the castle. Each cart was being pulled by one of the strangest creatures Harry had ever seen. They looked like winged skeleton horses. However, neither Ron nor Hermione could see them. Harry decided to ask Hagrid about them later.

Ron was initially mad at Harry and Hermione for seemingly hiding from him, until Hermione told him that they weren't hiding and that he had walked right past the compartment. She kept shooting suspicious glances at Harry.

When the Sorting finally got started, Luna was, as predicted, sorted into Ravenclaw. Ginny, to Ron's relief, was sorted into Gryffindor. Harry spent the rest of the feast nibbling on the delicious food, and talking to everyone around. He was doing his best to ignore Lockheart, who was up at the head table waving at all the young witches.

Eventually, Dumbledore stood and made a speech. Lockheart looked as though he was going to speak when Dumbledore introduced him, however, Dumbledore did not realize this and continued on immediately.

An hour later found Harry sitting in the common room reading a book on animagi. According to the book, one must find one's form in one's magic through meditation before the training can begin. Harry was reviewing the part over the meditative state once more. When he was sure he understood, he closed his eyes. After an hour of relaxation, Harry succeeded in reaching the space of his own mind and magic. He was glad he was already an occlumense; the book had said that it could take days to reach this level if he were not. He could see his own body, but nothing else. This was the area of his mind that his subconscious had dedicated to his animagus form. Once he found it, he could build this area up to resemble his animal's natural habitat. The book had said that it was inadvisable to do so before-hand as it may not suit that particular animal, and as it may be harder to find his form if it is playing in a forest or something.

So Harry spent this time to walk around his mind and search for his animagus. By morning, he still had not found it, but he had expected that. This was a large area to look in. Everywhere he looked was black, so he couldn't be sure just how far he could see. It would probably take several nights to find.

The next day, Hermione, Ron, and Harry were in the courtyard at lunchtime talking about the two classes they had had so far (actually, Hermione was doing most of the talking, but Harry was at least paying attention so as not to get yelled at) when a tiny mouse like boy showed up. "Alright Harry? I'm - I'm Colin Creevey. I'm a Gryffindor, too. D'ya think it would be alright if - can I have a picture?" 'Ah, a fan. I suppose this is to be expected, like Ginny. I was kind of hoping all my fans would be giggly girls though. Ah, well.' While he was thinking, Colin had been chattering on about everything he had heard about Harry. "And maybe, your friend could take it and I could stand next to you and later, you could sign it?"

Draco seemed to have heard that. "Signed photos! You're giving out signed photos, Potter?" Draco, in his school uniform wizarding hat (which no one ever wore because they were uncomfortable and tall), had gotten the attention of the whole courtyard. Big mistake.

"Nice hat, Draco. Bit warm though, isn't it?" Draco turned a darker red than Harry had ever seen, clutched the hat to his head with both hands, and took off running. The problem wasn't adverted, though.

"I'm sorry, we've met? Please excuse me, but who are you?" That worked.

"Funny. I'm your professor, Gilderoy Lockheart."

"Oh, right! Sorry professor, I'm terrible with faces. And no, I wasn't giving out signed photos. I was just about to tell Colin here that he shares a common room with me and, therefore, doesn't need a picture. Now, I'm about to be late to, well, your class, so I must be off." With that, Harry dragged Hermione away from the professor she was so attracted to. Through class, Harry was lightly probing Lockheart with Legilimency. Every time he talked about what he did in the books, Harry felt a lie. He knew that Lockheart hadn't done any of those things, but there seemed to be something deeper. It wasn't just a blatant lie; there were, after all, villages that had been saved from a werewolf and a banshee. Harry was going to figure it out.